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Tuesday, November 2
Iowa and National Election Returns
by
Linda Thieman
on Tue 02 Nov 2004 06:31 PM CST
Exit Polls Come In, Look Pretty Good
by
Linda Thieman
on Tue 02 Nov 2004 06:04 PM CST
 Exit Polls Come In, Look Pretty Good
Take it with a grain of salt
1) Click here to learn just what an exit poll is and what it may or may not mean.
2) Buzzflash lists some early exit polls and some explanations.
Buzzflash updates may be posted here.
3) Buzzflash seems to be using MyDD as a source, which may or may not be available, depending on the amount of traffic on their server.
4) Wonkette has some exit polls, too.
5) And if the server is not too busy, I hear Slate.com has some exit polling info, too.
Of course, exit polls do not reflect rigged voting machines.
Zogby is predicting a Kerry victory,
giving him 311 electoral votes to Bush's 213. Darrell said that
Tucker Carlson was practically giving Bush's concession speech on
CNN. But, KEEP VOTING, Iowa!
Be A Media Watchdog: Help Stop Tonight's Dangerous Media Spin
by
Linda Thieman
on Tue 02 Nov 2004 02:00 PM CST
 Be A Media Watchdog: Help Stop Tonight's Dangerous Media Spin
by Timothy Karr, Media for Democracy
Click here for The Des Moines Register's list of tonight's television coverage.
Only hours remain before voting stations close across America.
Mainstream
media outlets are standing by with million-dollar, election night
extravaganzas ready to break news as it happens. Whether they'll get
the story right or fall victim to the election spin cycle depends not
only on their skills as reporters, but also on our vigilance as media
watchers.
You can help safeguard our democracy against media mishaps by taking part in Media for Democracy's MediaWatchBlog.
http://www.citizensmediawatch.us/blog/
MediaWatchBlog
is an interactive blogging tool designed to help every American become
an effective election media monitor on November 2.
Keep an
eye out for over-eager and partisan media - those who might be tempted
to disrupt the democratic process with premature victory projections,
biased reporting and oversight. MediaWatchBlog allows you to file
reports on suspicious media coverage in your community and over your
air.
http://www.citizensmediawatch.us/blog/watchdogs
Media
for Democracy staff will vet and post citizen reports for further
fact-checking by Media for Democracy's members. Other members are
invited to debunk media misinformation and to help us create a rapid
response to media organizations that cross the lines of fairness and
accuracy.
In cases
where media abuses merit special action, Media for Democracy will
launch a nation-wide alert that includes special grassroots action by
our 65,000 members as well as real-time releases to press that draw
attention to the ongoing abuses of our media system.
With your help, tonight we can safeguard our election against possible media abuses before the damage can't be undone.
Stay Tuned and Ready,
Timothy Karr
Media for Democracy
Art Small Sells His Campaign on eBay
by
Linda Thieman
on Tue 02 Nov 2004 10:46 AM CST
 Art Small Sells His Campaign on eBay
View auction here.
Some politicians sell their votes.
Some sell their souls.
Art Small is selling...
Everything you need to run a grassroots campaign for U.S. Senate!
See: http://www.artsmallforsenate.com/
Art's
opponent, Republican incumbent Charles Grassley, has been backed by
many business-based PACs. He's received over $6,000,000 - almost
two-thirds of this from out-of-state. (See: http://www.opensecrets.org) Grassley's been in political office continually for 46 years.
Everybody said:
Art's a good guy! He's decent. He's honest. He's thoughtful. He's
articulate. He's experienced (sixteen years in the Iowa House and Iowa
Senate). He would make an excellent Senator. But, no one's given him
$6,000,000 in big money donations. Can we really take Art Small
seriously?
Art's betting that issues and regular people can do it.
He's put
together a lean and mean campaign - and now he's offering it to you!
Art has committed that he will serve at most one term. He will not run
again for U.S. Senate - but you can buy his campaign and be ready to
run your own!
Buy this item and you will be ready to run for the U.S. Senate! Includes everything you need!
Campaign RV:
Art Small bought this RV on eBay in August, for $9,000. Volunteers
equipped it as a mobile office and decked it out as the THINK BIG -
VOTE SMALL Van. Art drove all over Iowa in it. He visited every corner
of the Hawkeye State. He rolled through the prairie chatting with
visitors and advisors like the Nobel Prize-winning economist George
Akerlof. Art Slept Here. The THINK BIG - VOTE SMALL van is an authentic
piece of American Political Memorabilia.
Issues:
Position papers ready to go for a hard-hitting, issues-based campaign.
Thoughtful statements on Jobs, the Economy, Education, Iraq,
Healthcare, and more! [Fluffy vague bromides not included; check with
Grassley for Senate campaign.]
Equipment: Your campaign headquarters will be ready to unpack and get perking!
Click here for the rest of the details.
A Quick Guide to Avoiding Problems at the Polls
by
Linda Thieman
on Tue 02 Nov 2004 05:37 AM CST
 A Quick Guide to Avoiding Problems at the Polls
by Kathy Dopp, US Count Votes
Iowa Voting Hours: 7am-9pm
Nebraska Voting Hours: 8am-8pm
Before you go to the polls TODAY:
- Find your correct polling place. Click here:
http://www.mypollingplace.com
They are getting crushed with requests, so if you don't get through
right away, try again later or just call your county auditor.
- Find a form of identification to bring to the polls. Unless you are a
first-time voter who registered by mail without sending identification,
you have the right to vote without providing ID. However, to avoid
hassles just bring ID anyway. A government-issued ID is best (such as a
driver's license), but you can also bring a utility bill, paycheck
stub, phone bill, or similar papers with your name on them. If your ID
does not have a signature, bring two forms of identification.
- Allow plenty of time to vote, preferably in the morning. There may be
lines. Bring something to read. If the line is really long, consider
getting a box of donuts or cookies to share to lighten the mood.
Someone might be challenging voters just to slow things up in the hope
that long lines will scare away voters. If this is happening, let folks
in line know so it stiffens their resolve to stay and cast their vote.
Learn Your Voting Rights
- Even if you are not on the voter list, federal law gives you the
right to a "provisional ballot." Insist on one and vote. A regular
ballot is preferable, so you should do whatever you can to get a
regular ballot first, like going home and getting a second form of
identification or going to the polling place where you are definitely
on the voter list. But rather than be turned away, demand a provisional
ballot.
WHAT'S A PROVISIONAL BALLOT?: The New York Times explains, "No voter
can be turned away in any state this year without being allowed to
vote. If there is a question about your eligibility, you must be
allowed to vote on a provisional ballot, the validity of which will be
determined later. But if you are entitled to vote on a regular ballot,
you should insist on doing so, since a provisional ballot may be
disqualified later on a technicality."
- You have the right to vote if you are in line when the polls close. Stay in line until you vote.
At The Polls
- If you are confused about ANYTHING or feel you are being harassed,
ask the official poll workers to help. Do not rely on fellow citizens
for advice about the ballot, how the voting machines work, or why you
are not on the rolls. If someone is challenging your right to vote, ask
the poll workers to intervene.
- If someone harasses you, don't cause a ruckus. Just ignore the
harasser, report it to a poll worker, and let the voting process
continue. What kinds of things might somebody try? Well, in the past
people have insisted on more ID than is required or argued that someone
is at the wrong polling place.
- If something goes wrong, document it. Write down what happened, when,
and descriptions of the people involved, including their names, if you
can get them. If you have a camera or camera-phone, take pictures.
Report voting problems to an organization ready to respond to problems at the polls
- Common Cause: Call 1-866-MYVOTE1. This is a hotline you can call to report any voting problems.
- 1-866-OUR-VOTE. This hotline has been set up by a coalition of
nonpartisan groups to deal with the most serious problems on Election
Day. They have hundreds of lawyers standing by to immediately respond
to the most egregious problems. 1-866-OUR-VOTE is the "911" of voter
suppression hotlines. Please don't call unless your problem is serious
enough that you have to talk to a lawyer immediately.
- Contact the media. If something is going terribly wrong at a polling
site and you have reported it to the folks above, you might want to
then call local radio, television, and newspaper reporters. Often
problems clear up quickly after a reporter arrives.
It's odd that it's come to this. But given how hard Americans have
fought for the freedom to pick our government, it ought to take a lot
more than these inconveniences and ham-handed attempts by desperate
political operatives to dissuade us from casting a ballot. See you at
the polls.
Today is Election Day!
by
Linda Thieman
on Tue 02 Nov 2004 04:02 AM CST
 Today is Election Day!
by Linda Thieman
Iowa Voting Hours: 7am-9pm
Nebraska Voting Hours: 8am-8pm
All right, people, this is it! I suppose I need not state the
obvious, but today is Election Day, the day that we have been working
towards for 2 years now.
We, the Deaniacs, Kucitizens, fellow progressives, and dare I say, the
World, need just ONE MORE DAY from you before you take your
well-deserved rest.
Here's what you can do:
1) VOTE! If you haven't yet voted, make getting to the
polls your top priority. This year, the fate of the world hinges
on high voter turnout, because high voter turnout will favor the
Democrats.
2) Help others vote. I assume most of you have already
chosen the way you plan to volunteer today. If not, please do
what you can to make sure your friends, family and elderly neighbors make it to
the polls.
3) Don't watch reports about the final trends in polls on GOP TV - and by
that, I mean, every channel. From what I've seen, the polls are
being greatly distorted and misinterpreted to make it look like the
race is dead even when Kerry actually has an advantage.
4) Don't forget the incumbent 50% rule - if an incumbent
president polls at less than 50%, and we'll include the junta puppet in
that category just for the sake of argument, he's in big trouble.
Bush's polling figures represent his cap; Kerry's represent his floor.
5) Read this assessment of the race by Jimmy Breslin. Point
by point, he outlines why he thinks the election will go to
Kerry. He makes a lot of sense.
6) Read here why high voter turnout is important.
And from the bottom of my heart, a BIG THANK YOU to all of you who have
dedicated so many hours and so much hard work to taking this country
back. Bless you.
Something for Everyone: Polls and Humor
by
Linda Thieman
on Tue 02 Nov 2004 12:16 AM CST
 Something for Everyone: Polls and Humor
by Linda Thieman
Here at Blog for Iowa, we try to take into account differences in
coping styles and temperament. To that end, I'm offering up a
couple of link suggestions to help you deal with the nervous energy
that no doubt is plaguing many of us before Tuesday's big election.
But first, let me update you on my absentee ballot status.
First thing this morning, I made a polite phone call to the Buena Vista County Auditor.
"Hello," I said, "Is this the Department of Losing My Absentee Ballot?"
The lady at the other end of the line was very kind.
She replied, "No, honey, I think that's next door. You need the
Department of Lost, Misplaced, and Democratic Absentee Ballots.
I'll transfer you over."
I thanked her most sincerely.
Long story short, our absentee ballots had arrived, one day after we
mailed them. So, we're good to go and I heard later in the day
that the website that the Dems use to track absentee ballots has now
been updated by the county, not to mention post-dated.
So, another crisis averted.
To The Links
Suggestion One: If you are the kind of person who wants some kind
of reassurance, I might suggest you pour over the final poll numbers and the
interpretations provided at The Emerging Democratic Majority
website. You can always get the straight scoop from Ruy Teixeira,
void of the usual disinformation provided by the GOP cable news
networks. And it's looking pretty good for Kerry, too.
Suggestion Two: Everyone knows that I just love the Woodbury
County Dems' website. I mean, come on, how can you NOT love a
website whose motto is:
The Woodbury County Democratic Party...
We're as Fair and Balanced as Fox "News."
They distort... You Decide!
Rick updated his Late Night Humor page on October 29th, so if you're in
the mood for a good laugh and don't want to get overly analytical with
polling data and such, I might suggest you give the Woodbury County
Dems' website a try.
OK, just one joke for good measure:
“Earlier today, John Kerry went hunting for geese in Ohio, but Bush
says Kerry only did it for the photo op. The weird part is that Bush
said this while wearing a flight suit and standing on the deck of an
aircraft carrier.”
--Conan O’Brien
Rest up if you can - tomorrow's a big day!
Mwah!
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